Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the American economy added 194,000 jobs in the month of September, and the unemployment rate was 4.8%, down from 5.2% in August. With the lowest unemployment rate since the pandemic began and sustained growth in private sector employment, the Biden-Harris Administration is continuing to get people back to work.
Since the President took office, we have added 4.8 million jobs, an average of over 600,000 jobs per month.
At the Department of Labor, we are committed to an inclusive recovery, and we saw good news this month as the rates of Black and Hispanic unemployment, while still too high, both dropped. We have to make sure these gains are sustainable and built on more workers returning to good jobs.
The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal and Build Back Better agenda offer powerful and necessary ways to continue this progress toward equity. In the meantime, to sustain our recovery we must all continue to prioritize public health. Employer vaccine requirements are working to bring case numbers down, help more people get back to work and stay healthy, and strengthen our economy.
Visit Vaccines.gov for information on vaccine sites, appointments and booster shots.
Marty Walsh is the secretary of labor. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @SecMartyWalsh.